Portable steam bath-tub.



PATENTBD APR. '7, 1903.

A. .MOOREFIELD. PORTABLE STEAM BATH TUB.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 6 H w 4 v .V 4 o 5 M g X I J LHO I U I I H H wuewboz wi/iwvwm imy -4 GHQ/Mu -medicated-vapor pipes.

UNITED STATES PATENT K 'QFFICE.

AL MOOREFIELD, OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNTA.

PORTABLE STEAM BATH-TUB.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 724,487, dated April 7, 1903.

Application filed March 17, 1902. Serial No. 98,528. (No model.)

T (0% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AL MOOREFIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stockton, in the county of San Joaquin, State of California, have invented a new and useful Portable Steam Bath-Tub, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to a certain new and useful improvement in bath-tubs used in sanatoriums for the treatment of invalid persons by the use of such devices as are adapted to maintain a proper degree of high temperature within the tub, to be followed by the application of a medicated vapor.

My object is to furnish a bath-tub in combination with such heating and vapor-controlling devices which will be cheap of construction and convenient and efiective in operation. This I accomplish by the use,mainly, of a closed or chamber-like bath-tub within which the body of the patient below the neck v is suspended by suitable devices in a recumbent position for the purpose of the application ofliot air and medicated vapor; and it consists in the peculiar construction, novel combination, and adaptation of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims hereto annexed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings for a better comprehension thereof, in Which-- Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved portable steam bath-tub. Fig. 2 is a front end view of the same with the lid or cover elevated. Fig. 3 is a section of Fig. 1 on line A A of said Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section of my improved portable steam bath-tub, showing the hot-air and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal horizontal section of the same, showing the bottom plan of the hot-air and medicatedvapor pipes. Fig. 6'is a detached top elevation of the metallic perforated sheet upon which the patient reclines. Fig. 7 is an end View of the same.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views of the drawings, referring to which- 1 represents the Walls of the bathtub, which is mounted upon suitable legs 2.

3 is a front paneled door, which may be opened by lowering to permit of the admission of the patient to the interior of the tub.

f is the top of the tub, which is hinged to The paneled door 3 is provided with openings 8, which are provided with sliding windows 7, so that the condition'of the patient may be ascertained without opening the entire door 3.

9 represents hinges for the paneled door 3,

.attached to the front wall of the tub.

10 is a head-rest at one end of the tub, hinged to the end 23 of the tub, so that it may be readily dropped when the tub is not in use and suitably held in position, as will be hereinafter shown, when used to support the head of the patient.

12 is a drain-outlet in the bottom of the tub, which is controlled by a faucet 13.

14 is a heating-stove located at the opposite end of the tub and is preferably provided with such mechanism as permits a connection with a gas-fuel supply.

15 is a closed vessel or tank to be used in connection with the stove 14: and in which is placed the medicated liquid for the purpose of producing vapor and is provided with an inlet-1'6 for the purpose of the reception of the liquid.

17 is a flexible pipe connected at one end with the tank 15 and at the other end with a perforated pipe 18 for passage of the medicated vapor within the lower part of the tub.

19 is a hot-air pipe within the tub, connected at its outside end with an inverted funnel 20, which is placed over the flame for the purpose of introducing hot air into the pipe 19.

21 is an opening in the end 22 and is parallel with the head-rest 10 and is of a sufficient width and shape to admit the neck ofthe patient.

, 24 is a plug which closes the end of the perforated pipe 18 within the tub.

25 represents supporting-cleats on the sides of the tub inside, and 26 represents curved bands from side to side inside of the tub and which support a perforated zinc sheet 27, upon which the body of the patient lies within the tub. The perforations 28 of the sheet 27 admit of the medicated vapor and hot air freely passing upward around the body of the patient.

29 represents ribs attached lengthwise of the perforated zinc sheet 27 beneath, in order to give it the requisite rigidity.

30 represents hooks which support a cloth, shutting off the passage of air in the opening 21 when the patient is reclining upon the sheet 27 and rest 10.

31 is-a rest for the hinged support of the hinged top 4 when the'same is open.

23 is an eyelet at the top of the end 22, to which is attached a hook 11, the lower end of which is inserted in an eyelet on the rest 10 when the same is placed in position to support the patients head.-

The mode of operating my improved bathtub is as follows: The fire is applied in the stove let beneath the tank 15, which has previously been charged with any suitable medicated liquid. Y The fire also is applied beneath the inverted funnel 20. The head-rest 10 is then placed in position, the door 3 is opened, and the top 4 is raised. The patient then occupies the bath-tub, his body resting upon the sheet 27 and his head upon the rest 10. A cloth is then attached to the hook 30, covering the opening 21, confining the heat andmedicated vapor within the tub and away from the head of the patient. By means of the hot air circulating through the pipes 19 a degree of heat necessary for the treatment of the patient is applied. The temperature is ascertained from time to time by opening the sliding windows 7. As soon as a proper degree of temperature is reached the medicated vapor is applied through the perforated pipe 18. As soon as it is desirable to remove the patient the temperature within the tub is gradually reduced by opening the windows 7 and the lid 4, and when the patient desires to retire the door 3 is opened.

I am aware that bath-tubs have been heretofore constructed in which the application of hot air and medicated vapor are made use of, and these features I do not broadly claim; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

' 1. The herein-described vapor-bath apparatus comprising the tub having a hinged top, and a hinged, front door 3, and also having an opening 21 in the upper portion of one of its end walls, and means on said wall for the attachment of a cloth, a head-rest connected to said end wall of the tub, and extending outwardly therefrom, a foraminated bodysupport arranged in the tub at an intermediate point in the height thereof, and extending from the end wall of the tub in which the opening 21 is formed to a point adjacent to the opposite end wall thereof, a U-shaped hot-air pipe disposed in the tub below the foraminated body-support, and having one of its end portions extended through a wall of the tub and adapted to receive hot air from a suitable source of supply, and its other end portion carried upwardly and bent into U shape between the end of the foraininated body-support and the last-mentioned end wall of the tub, and extended through a wall of the tub and an apertured pipe disposed in the tub below the body-support, and adapted to be connected with a source of vapor-supply.

2. A vapor-bath apparatus comprising a closed tub, a foraminated body-support arranged in the tub at an intermediate point in the height thereof, and extending from one end wall of the tub to apoint adjacent to the opposite end wall thereof, a bent hot-air pipe disposed in the tub below the foraminated body-support, and having one of its end portions extended throughone wall of the tub and adapted to be connected with asource of hot-air supply, and its other end portion extended upwardly and bent in the space between the end of the body-support and the end wall of the tub, and extended through a wall of the tub in a plane above the body-support, and an apertured pipe disposed in the tub below the body-support, and adapted to be connected with a source of vapor-supply.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AL MOOREFIELD.

Witnesses:

J OSHUA B. WEBSTER, Mrs. E. V. COBB. 

